Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Migraines that Actually Ease the Pain

Try these home remedies for migraines the next time you feel one coming

Those who suffer from migraines understand their debilitating nature. Of the 38 million people in the U.S. who suffer from migraines, 75% are women. Women have to be even more vigilant and aware to prevent migraines from running our lives.

For those that experience frequent migraines (at least once a month), managing them is non-negotiable. Knowing a few home remedies for migraines is not only essential for staving them off, but adding to your arsenal of strategies will help you live more days with less pain.

Identifying your triggers

Migraines are often brought on by external stimuli, sensations, and stress. The goal is to identify your triggers and do your very best to avoid them.

Other common instigators to avoid

Below are 5 migraine management techniques that offer both home remedies for migraines and tools to help you in identifying the root causes of your migraines.

Practice #1:

Start a migraine journal. In the pro-dermal stage (prior to a full-fledged migraine) write down your activities and meals of the past 24 hours. If you wait until the onset of a migraine, there’s very little likelihood you’ll be able to perform this task. Identify any existing patterns to help nail down a specific trigger. This is a great tool if you really aren’t sure what may be contributing to your migraines.

Practice #2:

Simplify your meal plan. Most individuals resent the idea of an elimination diet, it can be extremely effective. If you remove common triggers (sugar, alcohol, dairy, gluten, soy), you can slowlynarrow down your migraine triggers. Although elimination diets aren’t commonly referred to as “fun”, they are super useful in resetting digestion and identifying imbalances. Look at this practice as an empowering opportunity to take your health back! It doesn’t feel good, to not feel good

Practice #3:

Begin an elimination diet. Ideally, an elimination diet should last for at least three weeks to ensure clear and traceable results. We reccomend utilizing the fantasticelimination guideby Ayurvedic trailblazer, Aviva Romm MD.

Practice #4:

Encourage daily elimination. A frequent culprit in the world of migraines is constipation. If you do not have a bowel movement at least once a day, this can be a significant contributor to your migraines. Fiber is a great tool to encourage daily elimination. Introduce a daily fiber supplement. Begin with 10 mg per day and slowly increase by 10mg (max 40 mg per day). Drink at least 8 oz of fluid with each dose.

Supplements for migraine prevention

Magnesium glycinate: 400 mg – 1200 mg daily. 75% of Americans are magnesium deficient. Research has shown that regular intake of magnesium reduces the frequency of migraines by41.6%. Magnesium is crucial in our body’s processes, such as regulating muscular and nerve function, balancing blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and making protein. It is often suggested to begin by taking400 mg of magnesium before bed.

Riboflavin/B2: 400mg daily. Riboflavin has been clinically tested to safely stop recurring migraines by 50%. Riboflavin supports mitochondrial functioning, the ‘energy house’ of the brain. Riboflavin is safe to take with beta-blockers and during pregnancy.

Fish Oil: 1500 mg – 3000 mg daily. Fish oil has been proven to reduce migraine severity, length, and frequency. Fish oil is a strong anti-inflammatory and is safe for consumption during pregnancy.

Ginger: 250 mg with the onset of a migraine. In astudy of 100 migraine sufferers, 50 mg of sumatriptan (a common drug used to stop migraines at their onset) and 250 mg ginger powder equally decreased the severity of attacks within two hours, with an equal satisfaction of pain relief in both groups, and many more side-effects in the sumatriptan group.

Ginger is traditionally used to treat pain and inflammation, and up to 1 mg a day is considered safe even for use during pregnancy.

Marina Zahran, BS, AHC, AHP, RYT500 (completion 2019) is a NAMA certified Ayurveda Health Counselor and Practitioner (completion 2019) based in Columbus, OH. She adores Yoga and Ayurveda for it empowers us to take our health back. Both of these modalities train the mind and body to identify imbalances and address from the root rather than slapping a band-aid on it. Her favorite aspect of this lifestyle is that she has never felt more aware of her mental and physiological functions. She can identify a cold ten days out and knows just what to do about it!